


The Amusement Park Not-Date

by the_big_pie_number1



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Amusement Park, Crush, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Oblivious, Pure Unadulterated Fluff, frank centric, gerard AND frank are both idiots, not-date, slight angst BUT ONLY FOR A SECOND
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 20:11:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11215428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_big_pie_number1/pseuds/the_big_pie_number1
Summary: The time Frank didn't take Gerard on a date to the amusement park, but he kinda did.





	The Amusement Park Not-Date

Frank didn't expect much from this trip to the amusement park. Really, he didn't.    
  
All he'd hoped for was a day out with his friends (and long term crush, but we'll get to that). He'd wanted roller coasters and huge ass swings. Knowing Gerard might come to him for comfort due to his fear of heights had nothing to do with organising the trip. Frank resents the accusation.    
  
Ah, Gerard, he was the issue.

 

"Issue" meaning the source of many hours of Frank's grief. But it's not like it's Gerard's fault entirely - he's completely oblivious to Frank's woes. Well, like, hopefully. Sometimes Frank thinks he's being too obvious and has to have words with himself to tone it down. Sometimes it's Mikey who has words with him.    
  
All Frank really wants, if anything, is to have a few moments where he can at least pretend that Gerard is his. One of the reasons he picked the amusement park was so that he could pretend, maybe, that this was like, a date or something. It's pretty stupid to be honest.    
  
He invited Pete and Mikey who, by the way, are the grossest, most /sickening/ couple there is, and Frank is in no way jealous when he sees them holding hands or sharing a milkshake or cuddled up in the basement together when they all watch movies and he has to be all single and watch Gerard from across the room being all cute and sleepy and warm and soft and-   
  
He's not jealous, okay. Frank should probably stop rambling.    
  
Point is, he invited them so he could have Gerard all to himself.    
  
It doesn't matter, it'll be fine, pretending is easy. Frank has done a pretty good job of pretending not to be in love with Gerard. He's pretty sure he can do it again for the rest of his life.    
  
Sometimes, though, it's difficult.    
  
Sometimes he looks at him a little too long and thinks "fuck it" before very quickly talking himself out of that can of worms that he definitely doesn't want out there for the world (Gerard) to see.    
  
Sometimes he almost reaches out for Gerard's hand as they're walking together because he just forgets. He forgets he's not allowed and probably won't ever be allowed. It sucks, but he'd rather keep his friendship with Gerard than lose him entirely.    
  
It's whatever, though.    
  
There's a loud HONK from outside followed by a faint, yet shrill, "Get in the fucking car, Iero!" from a distant Pete Wentz.    
  
That'll be him leaving then.    
  
He quickly checks over his outfit in the mirror and fixes his hair for the millionth time. It's not even a real date, he thinks, then remembers, oh yeah, pretending, right.    
  
He grabs his jacket and shoes and runs outside towards Pete's brother's shitty blue car and sees Gerard in the back seat. God, now isn't the time for butterflies, dammit.    
  
"What took you so long?"    
  
"Your MOM!"    
  
"Nice to see you, too, Frank. Nice hair." He laughs and blushes slightly at Gerard's comment, but never looks at him.    
  
Frank can never look Gerard properly in the face. God knows he has tried; he'd never admit it to anyone, but he still gets a little nervous when Gerard directly addresses him. Fucking. Whatever. He's cool.    
  
~~~   
  
The drive to the amusement park is fairly short, only around 45 minutes. That is, what's supposed to be a 25 minute drive with Pete's utterly dire sense of direction and Gerard's even worse whining.    
  
When they eventually arrive, Frank's the first out of that fucking car.    
  
Gerard awkwardly stands next to him with his hands in that dumb grey hoodie while Mikey and Pete apologise to each other about 67 million times for that minor squabble on the road. They kiss and make up and proceed to link arms. Frank's eyeing their arms and can't help the pang of jealousy always affiliated with Pete and Mikey.    
  
That's until Gerard links his arm with Frank's. What the fuck. Frank's halfway between blushing and bemusement. He's trying to tone down the smile on his face enough to give Gerard a questioning look.    
  
"Thought you might've wanted to, um, do that with someone, and- and I'm here so, I guess you're stuck with me!" He says with a little awkward giggle and the way Gerard stutters a little with the answer gives Frank mild heart palpitations. Fuck. He's literally so cute. Frank's pretty sure he's giving Gerard massive heart-eyes right now but can't bring himself to stop.    
  
"Yeah I- thanks. They do make me feel kinda lonely sometimes because they're so- you know, in l- they, I mean-"   
  
"In love?" Gerard finishes for him. Frank nods, unsure what to say. "Yeah, I get what you mean..." He's got a thoughtful look over his face and then seems to realise The Couple themselves are about 30 paces ahead of them. Oh yeah, walking. With linked arms.    
  
Frank smiles.    
  
~~~   
  
They're inside now and it's long since Gerard had to drop his arm because they needed wristbands. Frank already misses the contact. He briefly gives the accusing wristband a dirty look, he knows it's irrational, but he still does it.   
  
The first ride they go on is an easy one, not too fast, but still fairly high. High enough that Gerard grips the bar a bit too tight on that one.   
  
To be perfectly honest, Frank doesn't really know why Gerard agreed to this day trip. He's always hated theme parks. Thinks they're corporate killing-machines designed to trick people into buying food just to throw it all up again.    
  
Well, that, and he's afraid of heights. He probably came to keep an eye on Mikey. Typical Gerard.    
  
The second one is much higher and took a 40 minute wait in line, along with Mikey and Pete whispering and giggling to one another and quick pecks on the cheeks- calm down. They're allowed. They're together. Deep breaths.    
  
Gerard eyes him suspiciously after that. Frank doesn't even want to wonder what he's thinking.    
  
Before the second ride starts, Frank asks if Gerard's okay and Gerard nods his head fast with his eyes shut tightly and breathes in short bursts to calm himself down. This is one of those times Frank wishes he could just hug Gerard forever.    
  
The ride starts and Gerard screams a little, opens one eye and flails his arm around before finding purchase on Frank's lower arm. Close to his hand. Shit. This fake-date it's turning out to be better than most of Frank's real dates.    
  
Frank doesn't even care about the ride anymore, he just- he has to hold Gerard's hand. Just one time.    
  
He quickly moves his hand before he can think about it and links their fingers before the massive drop and shuts his eyes and screams. Maybe Gerard will see it as a comforting gesture. Frank hopes he does. He really is gone for the boy.    
  
When they reach the end, Frank awkwardly has to unfurl his hand from Gerard's. He pretends his hand isn't cold now.   
  
Once they're off the ride, Mikey and Pete are buzzing off the adrenalin of the drop and Frank's buzzing off the adrenalin of holding Gerard's hand so tightly for 3 minutes. God, why is he like this.    
  
Frank goes to walk out of the ride and sees Gerard looking at the photos that get taken of each cart. He wanders over to see a picture of Pete and Mikey squeezing each other tightly in the front of their cart, himself screaming with his hair all over his face and Gerard looking down at their linked hands, hardly aware of his surroundings. Oh, God.    
  
Frank turns quickly to Gerard to justify his impulse hand-holding. "Shit, I meant to say about the hand... thing. Like, sorry if that, um, made you feel weird or whatever. I just felt, uh really scared. Yeah. Sorry, again." Shut up shut up shut up. It didn't mean anything.    
  
Gerard looks thoughtful for a moment and says, "Yeah, I mean, I freaked out a little too, like, it's understandable. It's like, instinct or something." _Instinct_. Jeez, you can say that again.    
  
Frank breathes a sigh of relief, he's glad Gerard bought his clearly made up excuse. He thought he'd ruined it. Lucky for him Gerard's the most oblivious guy around.    
  
~~~   
  
Around 3pm they all decide they are hungry as fuck, and get hot dogs and cotton candy- a refreshing meal. Mikey and Pete bought some cotton candy to share and are playfully teasing each other about something or another. It's making Frank seethe with jealousy. He'd give anything for what they have. A running theme for today, he thinks.    
  
Just as he's starting to sulk and kick some gravel with his moody feet with his moody hands in his moody pockets, Gerard comes back with just one stick of cotton candy. Great. Clearly, he's not allowed anything nice anymore.    
  
Until Gerard says, with a nervous edge, "I got us one to share because I don't think I could finish one myself and... I saw how you were looking at /them/ again." There's a pause for a few seconds where Frank's just looking at him, stunned. Gerard scratches the back of his head and looks at anything but Frank. "But I can always go get you your own one..." He adds on quickly, looking down at the ground, sheepish.   
  
Frank's baffled. He's literally baffled. How is Gerard this much of an angel? How? How can one man be this kind? He thinks. Frank takes a moment to compose himself and Gerard's turning away, fuck, shit, wait a minute.    
  
"I'm good with sharing!" Frank sputters.    
  
"Oh," Gerard smiles, he looks relieved. "I thought you were mad at me or something."    
  
Frank internally scoffs. As if he's ever been genuinely annoyed by Gerard. "No, just, that's really kind of you. To get that. For us." Frank's a fucking dumbass. Some things don't change.    
  
Gerard's blushing a little. "... It's just cotton candy, Frank." Right, yeah.   
  
Speaking of which, Frank reaches for the stick and ends up putting his fingers over  Gerard's, for the second time today, and pauses wide-eyed, before jerkily taking his hand back. His face feels like it's on fire. Frank carefully pulls a substantial chunk of fluff off. He mutters an embarrassed apology, stuffs the chunk in his mouth and his hands in his pockets. Fucking. Be smoother, why don't you.    
  
He scrunches his face up for a brief second, scalding himself mentally for being an idiot again, before nodding in the direction of Pete and Mikey, "Better catch up with the love birds, then."    
  
Gerard trails behind him a little bit. Jeez, both the Ways are space cadets, he thinks fondly. He waits on Gerard anyway because yeah, he's waiting on some more cotton candy. Looking ahead, Frank sees that Mikey and Pete are Eskimo kissing. You know, that shit with the nose rubbing. Gross.    
  
"Should we go play some arcade games? I don't want Gerard being sick in my brother's car again." Pete asks, giving Gerard a teasing, pointed look. Gerard flips him off.    
  
"Yeah, I'm good with that." Frank says. He actually does have something left to tick off on his mental fake-date checklist. He really wants to win Gerard one of those dumb giant teddy bear things.    
  
What? They're cute.    
  
~~~    
  
They walk into the arcade and Pete and Mikey are already away to the dodgems, leaving Frank and Gerard to their own devices.    
  
Frank's headed straight toward the claw machines. He's a master at those. Gerard says it's all a game of luck with claw machines and that Frank always "spends too much money". Bullshit. Frank _knows_  there's a technique. Gerard's just jealous.    
  
He tries for the massive ones and has no such luck - Frank'll agree that those ones are rigged. He moves on to the regular sized plushy claw machines. Gerard's watching him with a smirk while eating majority of their cotton candy. Emphasis on _their_ cotton candy. That they're supposed to be sharing.    
  
Eventually, Gerard got bored and went to play the coin machines. Now _that's_  a waste of money.   
  
Frank's still trying to get this one God damn Jigglypuff plushy. Gerard loves Jigglypuff. He's spent about $8 trying for this God forsaken pink death ball. He's only got one more dollar on him. He's gotta win it. For Gerard.    
  
He puts his last dollar in the machine, pushes the lever up for 3 seconds, across for half a second.... and....   
  
He misses. He fucking- missed it! Frank hits his fist against the machine as the claw unclenches bearing nothing. That dumb losing tune plays for the 9th time.    
  
He's now all pouty because he couldn't win anything for Gerard. He couldn't even finish this stupid date properly.    
  
Fake date. Not real.    
  
While he's busy sulking, he meets Mikey with none other than that very Jigglypuff plushy. Frank's eyes are wide as they flick between Mikey and the plushy a few times, before asking incredulously, "Where the fuck did you get that?"    
  
Mikey makes a face as if to say "Where d'you think?".    
  
"Did you just win that?" Frank's lowkey mad but he's trying not to show it. He doesn't think it's working.     
  
"Yeah, I mean, Pete already won me a Squirtle, so this is kinda just extra..." Mikey trails off, he's smirking the tiniest amount. Mikey's a bastard- he /knows/ that's meant for Gerard.   
  
Well, Frank thinks, there's no point trying to hide it from Mikey anyway. "Could I... I mean, you know how you love me...?" Frank starts, "Would you let me... like can I... Okay, I wanted to get Gerard that Jigglypuff and I know that's it's dumb but it's his favourite and I wanted to give it to him because-"    
  
"Because you're a dumb cheesy piece of romantic garbage?" Mikey finishes with a fond smile.    
  
Frank is once again, astounded. He knows Mikey was joking but it's true, he's awful at hiding how he feels for Gerard. Frank didn't really want it handed to him so raw. Mikey just knows him inside out. "Yeah." he answers weakly. He knows he wants something he can't have, but he didn't need the reality that everyone else knows how pathetic he is too.    
  
Mikey's face softens when he sees Frank's expression fall. "Here," he hands Frank the plushy. "I won't tell him I won it."    
  
"For real?" Frank says, with a hopeful, earnest expression on his face.    
  
"For real." Mikey hugs him for a quick second then he's away to find Pete again. Frank absolutely adores him in that moment.    
  
He goes looking for Gerard, but can't seem to find him anywhere in the arcade. He checks the bathrooms twice before he realises he can actually spot Gerard over the other end of the arcade tucked away in a corner booth, crowding in on himself as Pete has his arm around him. He looks pretty upset, but he's not crying.    
  
Frank makes his way over there, slowly and carefully so he won't be seen by either Pete or Gerard. He doesn't like eavesdropping but Gerard doesn't really talk to him about things they way he does with Pete or Mikey. Frank tries not to dwell on it.   
  
Frank's close enough to hear Pete say, "Well, if he doesn't like you, then he's a stupid fucking idiot, Gerard."    
  
Wow, Frank really wants to die.    
  
Then Gerard's sniffling and saying, "But he's been so nice recently, I just don't know where I stan-"   
  
"Hey guys," Frank butts in. Because he's honestly heard enough. He feels sick. He knows it wasn't him Gerard was talking about. It never in a million years would be. But he has a fake date to finish and he doesn't want it ruined by some other guy that Gerard's apparently interested in. Fuck. It's fine. Frank clenches his jaw. "Why are you guys sitting all the way back here?"    
  
Pete takes his arm away from around Gerard and answers for them. "We, um- Gerard wanted to talk to me about... uh..." Pete glances at Gerard for help but Gerard just shakes his head in an "I don't know" kinda way. Hmph. Frank's mad, but Gerard's still cute.    
  
"Anyway..." Frank coughs after a long silence, but then he thinks, what's the point in giving the plushy to Gerard if he's clearly not interested in him? Wait, Gerard's still his friend. Friends get each other plushies right? Gerard doesn't owe him anything. Besides, Gerard bought the cotton candy. "I don't know if it really, like, matters or anything but, I..." Frank's never been good at giving gifts. "I got you this..." he says, holding the plushy. God, now he just feels dumb. His face feels hot with foolishness.   
  
Gerard and Pete both glance at each other and say nothing as they sit at the table while Frank's standing there feeling so naive and stupid. He's embarrassing himself acting like this - giving Gerard gifts and trying to hold his hand and shit. Gerard doesn't like him, of course he doesn't. He's so pathetic.     
  
He wishes Mikey never gave him that fucking Jigglypuff.    
  
He places it on the table and mumbles, "Um, I'll see you guys back at the car." And basically speed walks out of there. He's so frustrated with himself for getting so invested in a date that wasn't even a date. Fuck, he is so not ready to cry out here.    
  
He wipes his eyes on his sleeves and leans against the shitty blue car in the practically empty parking lot. This would've been so much easier if Gerard had just let him down gently rather than let him be all touchy feely because he felt bad. God, Frank hates pity.    
  
He sees Gerard run out of the arcade building holding the plushy and looking around for Frank presumably.    
  
When he notices him by the car, he's runs straight for him and slows down as he gets closer and stops about a metre in front of him.    
  
"Frank..." He starts.   
  
Frank just sniffs and wipes his face one more time so Gerard won't see him cry. Frank feels absolutely drained, he wants his bed and a whole thing of ice cream.    
  
"Can we just... forget this day even happened? I just wanna go home." He tries to play it off as tiredness but Gerard just looks at him, it's a sad, sympathetic look. He nods.    
  
Pete soon opens the car and they all get in. There's a mournful silence throughout the car. Pete puts on some Misfits quietly to ease the tension. It doesn't work.    
  
Halfway through the journey, Frank notices  Pete holding Mikey's hand in his lap as he drives. That didn't make him feel any better. He sighs, squeezes his eyes shut for a second so he can try forget about it, then he looks out the window miserably.    
  
A few minutes later, he feels a light touch on his left hand and looks down to see Gerard is sliding his hand into Frank's, but he's not looking at him. Not acknowledging the fact he's done this. Frank doesn't even know what to think anymore. But holding Gerard's hand comforts him, regardless of what he's been through today.    
  
~~~   
  
They arrive at Frank's house just after six. The tension is lower now in the car and they're all saying goodbye to him as he hops out the car. He reaches his front door and he's about to open it when he hears, "Wait, Frank!"    
  
Frank turns around to see Gerard coming out the other side of the car and running towards him. He has literally no clue what Gerard is going to say. He's not sure he even wants to hear it.   
  
Gerard speaks like he's rehearsed this speech. "Okay so, I wanted to say that, I had a really great time and, I wanted to get you something to say thank you-"    
  
"Gerard, you didn't have to-"   
  
"Shut up." Frank shuts up. "I got you this." Gerard takes something rectangular and thin from his hoodie and reveals the photo from the second ride. The one where he's holding Gerard's hand.    
  
Frank's speechless as he holds it. He knows it's a tacky theme park gift but that photo means more than Gerard probably understands.    
  
"I know it isn't a lot but... I want you to have it." No way. Frank is not welling up /again/.    
  
"There is actually one more thing..." Gerard says, and before Frank has time to process what's going on, Gerard kisses him. On the mouth. For a good few seconds.    
  
And then he's gone again. His lips are gone and Frank's eyes are still closed. His stomach is swooping. He grins and opens his eyes to see Gerard's back retreating to the car. Quite quickly as well. Fuck!   
  
Frank runs down the pathway to get him. "I love you!" he shouts on his way. "Gerard!"    
  
Frank's stopped in front of him. Shit, he thinks, it's out now.    
  
He's frantic and he's shaking but he has to get it all out now. "Look, I don't care about that other guy you like, okay, I don't." Gerard frowns but Frank keeps going. He's vaguely aware of Pete and Mikey listening in. "But I set this day trip up because I'm captain fucking lame-ass and wanted to spend time with you and basically go on a d-date with you. I knew Mikey and Pete would be too wrapped in each other to speak to us a lot so I invited them so it wouldn't be that obvious that I- I'm- God, I just- I have to tell you that hbI- I've been in love with you for so fucking long and I wanted this day out so I could, just for a day, pretend that you wanted me too..." Frank started crying halfway through that because that's probably the most amount of emotion he's ever showed anybody and also because he's so pathetic it hurts.   
  
"You are such a fucking idiot Frank Iero." Gerard says, frustratedly. "I don't know where you got this idea that I liked someone else because I've always been painfully obvious about my stupidly big crush on you, and the fact you think you couldn't ask whoever you wanted on a date is just plain wrong." Gerard grabs Frank and hugs him. He squeezes him tightly and Frank clutches his hoodie firmly and turns his nose into Gerard's neck and breathes.    
  
Then he laughs. He laughs out of sheer relief and that sets Gerard off. Frank pulls away from Gerard and properly looks at him, he leans in and they're trying to kiss but neither of them can stop smiling into it.    
  
Someone clears their throat and he realises Gerard's little brother and his little brother's boyfriend have been watching the whole time.    
  
"Should I tell mom you're staying here tonight?" Mikey shouts from the passenger side with a grin. Frank loves him too. Gerard turns to Frank with the same question and a hopeful look in his eyes.    
  
"I'm sure she won't mind..." Frank's tear stained face is now overcome with joy. He's wanted this for so long and now it's real. they can go on real dates together and hold hands and it's no big deal. He can kiss him whenever he wants to. Frank's stomach hasn't stopped swooping.    
  
They're waving Pete and Mikey off when Gerard suddenly remembers, "Wait stop! The Jigglypuff!"    
  
Mikey laughs then launches it out the window at them as the car drives off. It hits Gerard in the chest and drops to the ground.   
  
Frank smiles an ultra-fond smile in Gerard's direction, just because he can now.    
  
Gerard picks the plushy up. "You are such a sap, you know that?"    
  
"Am not!" Frank argues, but he can't keep himself grinning. Gerard laughs too. Then he kisses him.   
  
Gerard kisses him really hard. Frank flicks his tongue along Gerard's bottom lip and Gerard immediately opens up and moans very very slightly in the back of his throat, but Frank heard it. He starts moving his hand down to grope Gerard's butt, and Gerard squeals and quickly pants, "Inside."    
  
Shit, Frank completely forgot they were in his front yard.    
  
~~~    
  
It's late at night and they're both sweaty from the heavy make out session earlier. They're just taking the time to admire each other in the dim moonlight, casting soft, deep shadows on each of their faces.  Frank's got his shirt off and Gerard's in some of Frank's old clothes as makeshift pyjamas. Frank thinks he's never gonna be able to wear that again - it looks too good on Gerard.    
  
"I love you." Frank whispers. Gerard hugs Frank closer to him and can feel his slow, calm heart beat resonating off of his own chest. He starts tracing invisible lines on Frank's back, soothing him to sleep.    
  
"I love you, too."  He whispers back.    
  
They fall asleep tangled in each other's limbs with their hands clasped together and a plushy Jigglypuff watching over them.


End file.
